For The Starlings, Monroe

Rarely will Seattlest agree to drive out of town for anything other than a sunny hike or a day on the slopes. Not with so much to do and so many bands to see right here in Seattle. So when Mrs. Seattlest brought up the idea to drive out to Monroe with a friend to see The Starlings, our initial response was something like, Did you just say Monroe? Really? It's not that we have anything against "The largest City in East Snohomish County" -- it's just that it was, well, Friday night and couldn't we just go to The Croc or something?

We're so happy we made the trip. The Starlings were amazing (we've been wanting to see them for quite a while) and we actually had a wonderful time in little 'ole Monroe. The show was at a place called Eddie's Trackside Bar & Grill. A real small-town destination where the locals come to play pool, eat tater-tots and eyeball each other from the bar. And the name ain't some silly gimmick because of a somewhat-close railroad. At Eddie's the trains scream by not but a few feet outside the windows of the joint. It was totally surreal to be drinking a beer, listening to some great country/americana and have a train whistle suddenly going off right outside. The band plays through, sings louder. We just smile and keep tapping our feet.

Prior to The Starlings taking the stage, Chad Hinman & The Never Was warmed the crowd with their inimitable brand of folk/rock/americana. Chad's a charming fella, full of smiles and light-hearted conversation and the guy knows his way around a song and a guitar. Between Chad and bandmate Jack Quick (who's probably one of the best slide-guitarists we've seen in a while), we were actually kind of sad to see them leave the stage. It was time, however, to finally see The Starlings.

Lead by Joy Mills and Tom Parker, The Starlings are that kind of music which takes us back to a time of narrow, winding roads at night, in the mountains of Wyoming. Our dad is at the wheel and we're straining our eyes, trying to peer down into some dark river valley. The radio's on and it's all harmony and mournful strings and a beat that hearkens images of being on a train. Or being a train. It represents something. A mood. Anticipation. The feeling like we were on our way toward something fantastic in its simplicity. Setting up camp in the dark. Waking to the smell of eggs and sausage over a smokey campfire. The Starlings, for us, were something like that. And we can't wait to see them again.

The Starlings play Friday the 16th at Puget's Sound Meadowbrook Concert Series // 8pm // $5-$10 donation

Check out the train mural behind the bar after the jump. Nice.